Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Hofstra
Marshall Downs Hofstra, 3-1, to Capture Hofstra/Asics Invitational
8/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 29, 2009
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - The Marshall volleyball team received a career-high 23 kills from outside hitter and tournament MVP Elizabeth Herman to defeat Hofstra, 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18), in the final match of the Hofstra/Asics Invitational on Saturday evening. With the victory, the Herd captured the tournament championship, winning all three matches during the two day event.
Marshall (3-0) defeated Binghamton, 3-0, on Friday afternoon and knocked off Rhode Island, 3-1, on Saturday morning. The win versus tournament-host Hofstra drops the Pride to 0-3 on the season.
Herman tallied her career-best and match-high 23 kills on 52 attempts and committed six errors for a .327 hitting mark. The junior also collected eight digs and two total blocks against Hofstra. For the tournament, Herman averaged 4.73 kills-per-set, while also totaling 22 digs and six total blocks.
"Liz (Herman) was great at scoring for us all weekend," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "In tonight's match she kept her errors low and played fantastic. She really brought the hammer for us."
Emily Sullivan was also named to the all-tournament team, hit at a .444 attacking clip, connecting for nine kills on 18 attempts, committing only one error against the Pride. The senior outside hitter added five digs and two block assists on the evening.
In the opening set, Kristin Marcum hit back-to-back kills and received a service ace from Herman forcing the Pride into a timeout, with the Herd holding a 9-4 advantage. After the timeout, Marcum collected her third of four kills in the set and registered a service ace to put the Herd up six points and the match out of reach, taking the set 25-18. In the set, freshman Ryanne Milligan recorded eight of her 15 digs on the night.
In the second set, the Herd trailed 9-7 before Elizabeth Fleming set up Katy Schad for a kill and Hofstra committed three straight errors, to take an 11-9 advantage. The lead would reach its largest of the set when Schad nailed a service ace to put MU up by eight, 19-11. The Pride stormed back to close the deficit to two, 24-22 on a kill from Nikki Kinnier. After a timeout by Marshall, Schad struck her second kill of the game take the set, 25-22.
After dropping the third set to Hofstra, MU changed the complexity of the game through use of blocking shots. With the score even at 3-all, Herman and Sullivan teamed up for a block to take a one point advantage.
"We only had only one block going into game four," Jacobs said. "We were able to change the momentum of the game by making blocks and we locked back in and hit our highest percentage in game four."
Leading 19-18 in the fourth set, Schad held serve for seven straight points to take the set, the match and the tournament.
Schad (10 kills, 10 digs) and Fleming (44 assists, 18 digs) each tallied double-doubles on the court. It marked the first collegiate double-double for Schad, while Fleming was the match medalist in assists and digs.
"Liz Fleming played outstanding, getting her second double-double of the day," Jacobs said. "She was instrumental in our victories and helped make us a very strong team in the tournament."
Marcum chipped in with 12 kills and nine digs for the Herd in the victory.
"We were very up and down in the game. The team is youthful and we are fighting and I am very proud the way we are playing," Jacobs said.
The Herd returns to Huntington, to host its season opener against Charleston on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Cam Henderson Center.
